need help getting C&C in a window plz

[Pensive_Wolf 0]

I installed the Command & Patch for the first decade 1.03 though I am seeing 1.06 patches around and am wondering what most up to date. after installing the patch I started the C&C up and the movies and faction selection screen are really small, not taking up the whole screen, leaving 3/4 of the screen black. though the main menu is full screen. get in game and the sidebar is full screen size, but the game is still small and leaves a lot of empty black space.

 

I'm having difficultly getting ddraw.dll to work, is there a guide for it somewhere maybe? really want to play C&C in a window. I have installed the first decade command & Patch, added the ddraw.dll to the game exe folder but I'm getting an error when starting c&c (see screen shots below) what am I doing wrong? what settings do I need to fix? the configure setting listed here (http://hifi.iki.fi/cnc-ddraw/#download) are a little confusing to me and I'm not sure what I should be changing.

 

please help.

[Plok 323]

1 minute ago, Pensive_Wolf said:

though I am seeing 1.06 patches

You are confusing patches for TFD itself and patches for the games within it.

 

Here's a guide on how to fully and properly get your entire copy of TFD working: http://cncnz.com/features/technical-support-help-guides/fully-updating-the-first-decade/

[Pensive_Wolf 0]

thanks I'll take a look

[Pensive_Wolf 0]

1 hour ago, Plokite_Wolf said:

You are confusing patches for TFD itself and patches for the games within it.

 

Here's a guide on how to fully and properly get your entire copy of TFD working: http://cncnz.com/features/technical-support-help-guides/fully-updating-the-first-decade/

well, I uninstalled tfd and carefully reinstalled step by step following the guide, and somehow I'm still getting that error message window. I've tried changing the config settings in ccconfig.exe but still the same result. not really sure what to do now, when I remove the ddraw.dll file, I can play but theres large black sections of the screen like in my attached pics above.

[Plok 323]

1 minute ago, Pensive_Wolf said:

I can play but theres large black sections of the screen like in my attached pics above.

In TD, that's expected because it wasn't built to withstand such resolutions.

2 minutes ago, Pensive_Wolf said:

well, I uninstalled tfd and carefully reinstalled step by step following the guide, and somehow I'm still getting that error message window. I've tried changing the config settings in ccconfig.exe but still the same result.

You don't even need a manual insertion of ddraw.dll, because if you actually look into ccconfig.exe, you'll see that there's already a set of renderers that you can choose, as well as a Windowed mode option.

[Pensive_Wolf 0]

5 minutes ago, Plokite_Wolf said:

You don't even need a manual insertion of ddraw.dll, because if you actually look into ccconfig.exe, you'll see that there's already a set of renderers that you can choose, as well as a Windowed mode option.

Right, I meant removing the one that comes installed by the patch, that seems to be the only way to get the game to run and not get that error message.

 

6 minutes ago, Plokite_Wolf said:

In TD, that's expected because it wasn't built to withstand such resolutions.

so does that mean it's not possible to play windowed? or I just have to select one of the game resolutions provided by the config and not try a custom (1600x900)?

[Plok 323]

Just now, Pensive_Wolf said:

so does that mean it's not possible to play windowed?

I was referring to the black areas.

[Pensive_Wolf 0]

well I still get an error and can't play tho a different # if I uncheck the windowed box in config

[Pensive_Wolf 0]

ok so the ddraw.dll is causing the error and preventing me from being able to launch the game. removing it allows me to play and reducing the resolution in the config removes the black areas but in turn reduces the game screen, so I can see less, bummer but at least i can play even if not in a window like I was hoping. and I'm not able to get the better view from the 1.06 patch. not sure why. but sure that has to do with he black areas.

[Tore 33]

The black sections are there because you have chosen a resolution larger than the map itself, the first missions of C&C are on small maps, the later ones are on larger maps. If you choose a reasonable res it will fill the screen.

As for windowed mode you need to enable cnc-ddraw in ccconfig.exe and select "run in windowed mode.".

Note that in ccconfig there are different types of resolution settings one that changes game resolution, letting you see more of the map and one for cnc-ddraw that stretches the game to a resolution without affecting how much of the map you see.

If you are getting crashes using cnc-ddraw you have to disable any compatibility mode you might have on C&C95.exe (right click on C&C95.exe, click on "properties", find the "compatibility" tab and uncheck all.).

Edited December 2, 2017 by Tore

[Pensive_Wolf 0]

. . . I don't kmow why really, but it works   seems that for some reason the compatality modes that I was turning off, were turning themselves back on, I know I hit Apply.  I think maybe they reset when ever you change something in the config setup.

 

read-only box should fix that.

no it doesn't

Edited December 2, 2017 by Pensive_Wolf
solution. . . I thought

[Pensive_Wolf 0]

and now I'm having mouse issues with the window.  making progress tho

 

yup, my mouse is trapped in the cornors of the window, can't get to the center to click on anything.

Edited December 2, 2017 by Pensive_Wolf

[Nyerguds 100]

If I remember correctly, that's either something that happens on some nonstandard screen resolutions, or an error caused by Window display scaling...

 

As for the compatibility mode, the config tool sets that to what it perceives to be the optimal setting for your operating system. So yeah, every time you press the Apply button in the tool it'll reset that. So if that automatic compat mode gives you trouble, remember to change it back after closing the config tool. Setting the file to read-only has no effect on that, since compatibility modes are Windows settings for files saved in your local system (in the Windows Registry), not anything that's changed on the file itself.